Ornamental device



Sept. 17, 1935. scHNEEWE|$ 2,014,414

ORNAMENTAL DEVICE Filed Nov. 9, 1934 INVENTOR gbanielcascimeeweia TTORNEY Patented Sept. 17, 1935 lTED STAT 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in articles of jewelry and the like, incorporating decorative effects and methods of constructing the same, being particularly directed to articles which 5 incorporate different decorative effects chosen by a purchaser, and which are required to be applied to the article at the time and place of sale.

Up to the present time methods for attaching initials or decorative effects to jewelry and novelty 'items have been confined to soldering initials or decorative element to a supporting metal base; other methods incorporate the use of an adhesive which is applied either to the supporting base or to the rear of the initial or decorative element, after which the base and decorative element are maintained under pressure. Both these methods are impractical due to the fact that with soldering a cumbersome and very inefiicient apparatus is necessary and the uneven disposition of the decorative element and marring of the completed article is a common occurrence, while with an adhesive the uneven application of cement as to its spread or thickness will produce a very poorly finished product. Further, from the standpoint of practicability, both these methods involve considerable amount of skilled labor, and with articles of jewelry or the like, produce relatively crude effects unless the work is carried on away from the place of sale and by special artisans.

Broadly, it is an object of this invention to provide for articles of jewelry and the like, incorporating initials or decorative effects, wherein the initials or decorative elements are directly applied to the products in proper position and with minimum of effort at the place of sale in a short period, and producing a firm bond of the initials or decorative elements with the supporting base therefor.

Specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide for an article of jewelry or the like, wherein the initials or decorative elements are insertable in framed areas on the objects and firmly embedded with respect to the supporting base thereof by becoming embedded in the supporting base, which has been softened through applica tion of a solvent therefor, and which, after hardening after a short interval, will lock the decorative element against displacement in any direction.

Further, it is an object of this invention to provide a method of assembling insertable initials or decorative elements on articles of jewelry or the like by providing a supporting base of celluloid or the like, framed by the outer surface or covering thereof to provide a receiving area for the initial or decorative element and after disposing the initial or decorative element in the framed decorative area in a simple operation, causing the softening of the contacting surface in the framed decorative area of the'supporting base to permit 5 the penetration by gravity of the initial or decorative element into the supporting base and subsequent firm interlocking of the initial or decorative element within the decorative area after drying within a short interval, to the ob- 10 v ject, through adhesion and hardening of a framing edge.

These and other advantages, capabilities and features of the invention will appear from the subjoined detailed description of one specific em- 15 bodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of this invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the ment of the device.

Figure 3 is a plan view in section, taken along lines 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a step in the method of assembling the device.

Referring to the reference characters in the drawing, numeral it represents the supporting base and ll the framing element as applied in this instance to form a pendant, as one of the forms of this invention. The framing element l l 30 is united to the supporting base H] by one of several methods; in the particular instance, the supporting base being formed of celluloid and the framing element of metal, a solvent such as acetone is disposed in very minute quantities on 35 the surface it) of the celluloid, causing such surface to be softened by virtue of the solution of the celluloid by the acetone, after which the framing element l l is placed directly against the softened surface of the supporting base, where- 40 upon the framing element penetrates by gravity to a slight degree into the supporting base, being locked thereto by adhesion and by the bead formation l2 at the outer edges l l and the inner edges l3 forming the blanked out framing areas I 3 of 45 the framing element Hi. When the softened celluloid hardens, which effect takes place within a few minutes, the beads l I and I3 firmly embed the framing element with respect to the supporting base. Although the aforesaid method of mounting the supporting base with respect to the framing element is a preferred method of uniting the two, the same may be accomplished by riveting, glueing, or compression under heat.

As indicated in Figure 1, the framing area I3 carrier ele- 20 formed by blanking the framing element H defines the position where the decorative element l4 herein indicated as an initial, though various decorative elements may be substituted therefor, may be disposed, the initial or other decorative element l4 being generally of a size and contour as to substantially fit in a predetermined position in the framing area.

To fix the decorative element I4 within the framing area l3, reference being had to disclosure in Figure 4, the decorative element is disposed in the framing area formed by uniting the supporting base and the framing element, as heretofore described, and a drop of acetone or other solvent for celluloid, or similar base, directed into the area substantially centrally thereof, such drop by capillarity and gravity spreading over the surface I0 of the supporting base disposed in the framing area and causing a softening of the same; whereupon, the decorative element, due to its weight, penetrates into the softened surface of the supporting base (as shown in Figure 3), causing the displaced, softened celluloid to form beads surrounding the edges of the decorative element, such beads serving to firmly interlock the decorative element within the framing area with the supporting base, after hardening of the softened surface of the supporting base, all of which takes place in a few seconds, in conjunction with the adhesive action of the softened celluloid.

Although in the present instance there is a specific illustration of a pendant incorporating 'this invention, which pendant carries initials, it

is within the province of this invention to incorporate the aforementioned method for applying letters or other decorative elements to various articles of commerce, in the jewelry and other fields, wherein there is provided a supporting base capable of becoming softened and receiving Within a framed area such decorative elements.

Although the supporting base providing the framed area is herein indicated in the preferred form, as being formed of celluloid, it is within the province of this invention to provide a supporting base of a material such as gelatin, which may be softened at its surface for the purpose described, by water or a material in the nature of a slow drying celluloid, such as one incorporating castor oil or like reagent, which will permit embedding of framing and decorating elements with respect thereto by pressure and will produce substantially the same required effect.

It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A method of forming decorative jewelry or like articles, comprising uniting to a supporting base a decorative framing element to provide a framing area of said supporting base, positioning a decorative element within the framed area, and depositing a minute quantity of solvent into the framed area sufficient to soften the exposed surface of the supporting base, whereby the decorative element by gravity becomes embedded in the supporting base and after hardening of the exposed surface thereof becomes interlocked with respect to the base.

2. A method of applying decorative effects to articles of jewelry or the like, comprising applying a framing element to a supporting base capable of softening under action of solvents to form an exposed framing area, positioning interchangeable decorative elements on the exposed surface of the base within the framing area, applying solvent to the framed area for softening the exposed surface of the supporting base, whereby the decorative element through gravity becomes embedded in the supporting base.

3. A method of forming decorative jewelry or like articles, comprising applying a framing element to a supporting base of material capable of softening, disposing a decorative element in the framed area of said supporting base, softening the framed base in the area carrying the decorative element, whereby the decorative element penetrates into the supporting base at the framed area and is interlocked therewith upon hardening of the softened framed area,

DANIEL D. SCHNEEWEIS. 

